Update, January-March 2016: NUNIVAAT - NUNAVIK STATISTICS PROGRAM

Based on a long history of cooperation between the Kativik Regional Government (KRG) and Université Laval, Nunivaat was established in 2005 as a permanent, public and independent statistics program on the socioeconomic situation of Nunavik. Nunivaat is directed by Université Laval and funded by the KRG.

RESEARCH AND RELATED ACTIVITIES

Study on the Cost of Living in Nunavik – Data collection work under the study is now complete. A total of 450 households were surveyed in Kangiqsualujjuaq, Kuujjuaq, Tasiujaq, Salluit, Puvirnituq and Umiujaq, as targeted. Data processing and analysis work is continuing at Université Laval and a final report is expected for next fall. Under the Agreement on the Financing of Measures to Reduce the Cost of Living in Nunavik signed in 2013, the Makivik Corporation, the KRG and the Québec government made a commitment to use the results of this study to define effective and long-term solutions to the region’s high cost of living. Discussions are also underway to permit the cost-of-living in Nunavik database to remain available so as to feed decisions regarding the Nunavik Cost-of-Living Reduction Measures.

Nunavik Community Survey – The creation of a survey to meet important regional statistical needs in fields such as housing is currently under evaluation.

Nunavik Socioeconomic Portrait – A condensed socioeconomic portrait of Nunavik has been prepared based on previous work under Nunivaat. The Portrait will appear in a report to be released by Statistics Norway later this year. Entitled The Economy of the North III, the report focuses on the economic and social situations of circumpolar regions.

Analysis Activities – Nunivaat provided guidance and practical responses to the KRG on methods for measuring low income in Nunavik and was asked to provide some data on housing in Nunavik.

Data and Publications – During the first quarter of 2016, the following data was added to the Nunivaat databank.

New tables and profiles

New tables from the Aboriginal Peoples Survey (2012) were added. The tables cover health, food security, harvesting and hand-crafted goods activities. They are available for Nunavik, as well as for the three other components of Inuit Nunangat, and for the whole Inuit Nunangat.

New profiles for Inuit and non-Aboriginal identity populations were added. The profiles cover different topics including income, education, mobility, labour, immigration, non-official languages, etc. They are exclusive to Nunivaat. They compare Inuit identity population characteristics with those of the non-Aboriginal population in Nunavik.